Real-world effectiveness of long acting aripiprazole: Treatment persistence and its correlates in the Italian clinical practice

Fagiolini, A.;Aguglia, E.;Ballerini, A.;Callista, G.;Carpiniello, B.

Writing – Review & Editing

;Clerici, M.;Corrivetti, G.;De Fazio, P.;De Filippis, S.;De Giorgi, S.;Favaretto, G.;Ferri, E.;Gargiulo, G.;Giustra, M. G.;La Barbera, D.;Maina, G.;Mencacci, C.;Montagnani, G.;Panariello, A.;Pigato, G.;Tortorella, A.;Vernacotola, L.;Vita, A.

2019-01-01

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Abstract

Objectives: To identify the variables that are associated with persistence to Aripiprazole-Long Acting (A-LAI), in adult patients with schizophrenia. Methods: Observational, retrospective, non-interventional study involving 261 patients with schizophrenia. Results: Eighty-six percent of study subjects were persistent for at least 6 months. All subjects with baseline CGI-S of 1 or 2, 95% of subjects with CGI-S of 3, 86% with CGI-S of 4, 82% of subjects with CGI-S of 5, 73% of subjects with CGI of 6 and 90% of subjects with CGI of 7 were persistent. A-LAI treatment continuation rate was higher in patients with: 1) baseline CGI score ≤ 4; 2) schizophrenia dimension (LDPS) mania score ≤ 5; 3) psychotic spectrum schizoid score ≤ 11. Conclusions: A relatively high number of patients (n = 225, 86%) were persistent to A-LAI for at least 6 months. Not surprisingly, very severe patients were more unlikely to be persistent. However, it is noteworthy that a large number of subjects with high CGI score at the time when A-LAI was started (82% of subjects with CGI-S of 5, 73% of subjects with CGI of 6 and 90% of subjects with CGI of 7) were persistent. Larger, controlled, prospective and longer studies are warranted.